WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, said in a speech on the House floor today that it is "financial insanity" for Congress to give President Obama $3.7 billion in emergency funds to deal with the immigration crisis.

Obama made the request earlier this month as the number of illegal immigrant children, who are unaccompanied by adults, crossing the U.S. border has spiked in recent months.

The White House has said part of the funding would be used to house and feed the children until they are returned to their homes. About 50,000 unaccompanied minors have crossed the southwestern U.S. border since October.

"President Obama demands $3.7 billion to spend in just the next few months on a policy that does not solve the illegal alien children problem," Brooks said. "Think about that. The President proposes spending $3.7 billion to not solve the problem."

Brooks said 60,000 children could be flown home for less than $20 million, citing online airline tickets. Using military transport aircraft as flight training hours to return the children home would further reduce the cost, Brooks said.

"How should America fix this problem?" Brooks asked in his speech. "First, the Obama Administration must stop enticing illegal alien children to America with promises of amnesty and money. "America cannot give free food, free clothing, free shelter, free health care, free transportation, free entertainment, and billions of dollars a year in fraudulent tax refunds to illegal aliens and then wonder why we have an illegal alien crisis.

"Second, illegal alien children from Central America and Mexico must be treated equally – prompt returns to parents and homes without costly and time-consuming deportation hearings. All contrary laws must be repealed or amended.

"Third, America must immediately fly illegal alien children home by the least expensive means possible."

Updated at 1:44 p.m. July 16, 2014, to correct a figure. Brooks said 60,000 children could be flown home for less than $20 million.